Television picture tube package



May 7, 1957 J. SCHE'CTER ETAL TELEVISION P1013035: TUBE PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001.22 1953 INVENTQRS SAMUEL H. SAACS I F {VIN-G J. SCHECTE R 4. TTORNEY May- 7, 1957 J. scHEcTERj ET Ab.

TELEVISION PICTURE TUBE PACKAGE Filed Oct. 22, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS SAMUEL H. ISAACS IRVING d. SCH ECT ER BY ATToRNEYg TELEVISION PICTURE TUBE PACKAGE Application-October 22; 1953, Serial No. 387,698 6 Claims. (Cl, 206-65) This invention relates to a novelmeans and method for'shipping and storing picture tubes and otherfrangible necked articles. I

In the prior art it was customary, in shipping and storing picture tubes, either to pack a number of tubes in specially reinforced andsealed paper boxes which were normally in such shape after one use asto be unsuitable forfurther use or to individually pack them in cardboard boxes, utilizing in each box suitable padding'and spacers to ensure against breakage of the tubes. This involved costly handling, particularly where the tubes-are shipped in. large numbers from one factory to another for further processing or from factory to warehouse for storage or even from warehouse to a dealer who sells in fairly large quantities;

lt is an object ofthis invention to provide-a new means for transporting and storing picture tubes.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a new method of handling picture tubes in transit or in storage.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a reusable shipping or storing means for frangible, necked articles.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a storage or shipping means for frangible, necked articles to effect a savings in cost of storage or shipment.

Fora clear understanding of my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and drawings.

In said drawings:

Figs. 1a, 1b, and 1c are perspective views, partly in section of a rack and a dolly, which when assembled would constitute a rack and underlying dolly.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a rack loaded with picture tubes but without a protective canvas cover, parts being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig; 3, but showing how the tubes are held in place.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, in Fig. 1 there is disclosed a dolly 1 composed of longitudinal rails 3, cross rails 5, end posts 7 and casters 9. The end posts are hollow as at 11 in order to be able to receive the pins 13 which may be of truncated form, at the lower ends of posts 15 of a picture tube carrier'17. The carrier is comprised of side angles 19, end angles 21 and the posts 15. In addition, the carrier is provided with guiding and reinforcing channels 23 and a picture tube support means such as a sheet of material 25, preferably of thin gauge steel. The side and end rails are preferably angle irons and the sheet steel rests on the angles and is welded thereto to make a strong structure. The guides 23 afford means to facilitate theentrance of forks of a conventional lift truck to prevent tilting of the carrier as it is lifted or transported. Thesev guides are welded to the under side of the longitudinal rails of; therrack and, if' desired by the use of suitable fillers, to the sheet nited States Patent Patented May 7, 1957 steel bottom of the carrier thereby further rigidifying the carrier.

Attached to the longitudinal rails of the carrier, as bywelding or riveting, are spaced pivoted snap hooks 26 for a-purpose soon to be described.

The-steel sheet bottom serves to support, face down, a number of picture tubes 27 which are arranged in closely spaced relation longitudinally and crosswise of the carrier. In order to prevent scratching of the faces of the tubes and injuries due to rubbing of tubes against one another, the faces of the tubes and the edges adjacent are covered by cardboard covers 29 which may be adhered to the tubes by the use of suitable adhesive strips 31 with or without packing between the covers and the faces of the tubes. between the picture tubes and prevent their tilting; a spacer 33-is provided. The spacer is preferably'made of corrugated cardboard and there may be a multiple number of layers of such cardboard, as seen in the upper tier of the rack in Fig. 2, the cardbOards being suitably perforated, dependent on the size of the picture tube, so

that the spacers may rest on the conical portions of the The spacers additionally have other apertures to tubes. accommodate another group of tubes 35, face uppermost, and with the conical portions seated in the spacers. Inorder to provide additional support for these tubes, semirigid supports such as corrugated cardboard cylinders 37 may be slipped over the necks of the tubes 35, these being of a length so that they engage the conical surface of the tubes 35- at one end and the underlying sheet metal plate at the other.

The upper faces of the tubes 35 are substantially coplanar, and these faces are capped with covers and ad hesivestrips in the same manner that'the' tubes 27 were capped.

The tubes are all retained on the carrier by a flexible cover member 39' provided with grommets not shown, along the edges of the cover. If desired, an additional cover member such as 4-3 may be provided to be interposed between the cover member 39 and the tubes to cover the. sides of the tubes. After the tubes have been loaded on the carrier and the cover or covers applied, chains 45,.each provided with a coiled spring 47 and S-hook 49 at One end, are hooked'into the grommets, and the other ends of the. chains are brought into engagement with the snap hooks 26; with the chains under tension.

A number. of the carriers may be so loaded and then tiered one over the other with suitable spacer frames 51 therebetween. These spacer frames are generally rectangular. in plan and comprise four corner posts 53, having rectangular nesting sleeves 55 inserted into their lower ends and adapted to extend deep into the hollow corner posts 15 of the carrier for separable connection therewith. The upper ends of the posts 53 are hollow so as to be capable of receiving the pins 13 of a carrier.

Besides the corner posts there are end rails 57, welded or otherwise suitably. secured to the posts close to the tops of the posts, and side rails 59 which may be removably secured to the spacer frame, or suitably permanently securedto the spacer frame as desired, the former being desirable to facilitate storage and stacking of the. end portions of the spacer frame and of the side rails. Obviously the carriers may be stacked for storage or transshipment. by fitting the pins 13 of one carrier into the corner posts 15 of an adjacent carrier.

Instoring or shipping. the tubes, as many carriers and spacer frames may be stacked as is found convenient and, by means of a conventional lift truck, the carriers maybe-lifted" off the dolly or spacer frames and set where desired, the guide rails 23, by centering the load on the forks, forming part of the lifting arrangement and by To help maintain proper spacing embracing the forks preventing mishap due to lateral slip or tilt of the carriers.

Having described my invention what we claim as new is: r i r l. A package comprising a rectangular frame structure of frame members, said structure having picture tube supporting means extending across between frame members, picture tubes, each having a conical portion whose base forms the picture tube face and each having an elongated cylindrical portion extending from the apex of the cone, said picture tubes being supported on said supporting means, strap securing means on opposite sides of said frame members, a flexible cover over the tubes, said cover being provided with strap securing means along opposite edges thereof, straps interposed between the securing means on the cover with the securing means on the frame members to tightly hold the picture tubes to the frame structure.

2. A package comprising a rectangular frame structure of frame members, said structure having picture tube supporting means extending across between frame members, picture tubes, each having a conical portion whose base forms the picture tube face and each having an elongated cylindrical portion extending from the apex of the cone, said picture tubes being supported on said supporting means with the picture faces directed downwardly, strap securing means on opposite sides of said frame members, a preapertured corrugated paper spacer member passed over the neck portions of the tube and resting part way down on the conical portions of the tubes, the apertures in the paper corresponding to the positions of the necks when the tubes are nested side by side longitudinally and crosswise of the structure, a second group of picture tubes having their neck portions directed downwardly and passing through other apertures in the spacer member, yielding supporting means surrounding the neck portions of said second group of tubes and of a length to engage the conical portions at their one ends and the supporting means at their other ends, the picture faces of said second group being substantially coplanar, and a cloth cover over the coplanar picture faces, said cover being provided with strap securing means along opposite edges thereof, and straps interposed between the securing means on the cover with the securing means on the frame members to tightly hold the picture tubes to the frame structure.

3. A package comprising a rectangular frame structure of frame members, said structure having picture tube supporting means extending across between frame members, picture tubes, each having a conical portion whose base forms the picture tube face and each having an elongated cylindrical portion extending from the apex of the cone, said picture tubes being supported on said supporting means with the picture faces directed downwardly, strap securing means on opposite sides of said frame structure, a preapertured corrugated paper spacer member passed over the neck portions of the tubes and resting part way down on the conical portions of the tubes, the apertures in the paper corresponding to the positions of the necks when the tubes are nested side by side longitudinally and crosswise of the structure, a second group of picture tubes having their neck portions directed downwardly and passing through other apertures in the spacer member, yielding supporting means surrounding the neck portions of said second group of tubes and of a length to engage the conical portions of said second group of tubes and of a length to engage the conical portions at their one ends and the supporting means at their other ends, the picture faces of said second group being substantially coplanar, a cloth cover over the coplanar picture faces, said cover being provided with strap securing means along opposite edges thereof, straps interposed between the securing means on the cover with the securing means on the frame structure-to tightly hold the picture tubes to the frame structure, and a protective rigid spacer frame structure about the picture tubes and mounted on said first frame structure.

4. A package comprising a rectangular frame structure of frame members, said structure having picture tube supporting means extending across between frame members, picture tubes, each having a conical portion whose base forms the picture tube face and each having an elongated cylindrical portion extending from the apex of the cone, said picture tubes being supported on said supporting means with the picture faces directed downwardly, strap securing means on opposite sides of said frame structure, a preapertured corrugated paper spacer member passed over the neck portions of the tubes and resting part way down on the conical portions of the tubes, the apertures in the paper corresponding to the positions of the necks when the tubes are nested side by side longitudinally and crosswise of the structure, a second group of picture tubes having their neck portions directed downwardly and passing through other apertures in the spacer member, yielding supporting means surrounding the neck portions of ,said second group of tubes and of a length to engage the conical portions at their one ends and the supporting means at their other ends, the picture faces of said second group being substantially coplanar, a protective paper cover extending over the faces and about the edges of each of said picture tubes, a flexible cloth cover over the protective paper covers of the second group of tubes and a second cloth cover over the first cloth cover,

said second cover being provided with strap securing means along opposite edges thereof, straps interposed between the securing means on the second cover with the securing means on the frame structure to tightly hold the picture tubes to the frame structure, and a protective rigid spacer frame structure about the picture tubes and mounted on said first frame structure.

5. A package comprising a rectangular frame structure of frame members, said structure having picture tube supporting means extending across between frame members, closed channels beneath the structure crosswise of the structure, picture tubes, each having a conical portion whose base forms the picture tube face and each having an elongated cylindrical portion extending from the apex of the cone, said picture tubes being supported on said supporting means with the picture faces directed downwardly, strap securing means on opposite sides of said frame structure, a preapertured corrugated paper spacer member passed over the neck portions of the tubes and resting part way down on the conical portions of the tubes, the apertures in the paper corresponding to the positions of the necks when the tubes are nested side by side longitudinally and crosswise of the structure, a second group of picture tubes having their neck portions directed downwardly and passing through other apertures in the spacer member, yielding supporting means surrounding the neck portions of said second group of tubes and of a length to engage the conical portions at their one ends and the supporting means at their other ends, the picture faces of said second group being substantially coplanar, a protective paper cover extending over the faces and about the edges of each of said picture tubes, a flexible cloth cover over the protective paper covers of the second group of tubes and a second cloth cover over the first cloth cover, said second cover being provided with strap securing means along opposite edges thereof, straps having resilient extensible portions interposed between the securing means on the second cover with the securing means on the frame structure to tightly hold the picture tubes to the frame structure, and a protective rigid spacer frame structure about the picture tubes and mounted on said first frame structure.

6. A package comprising a rectangular frame structure of frame members, said structure having picture tube supportin means extending across between frame members, picture tubes, each having a conical portion whose base forms the picture tube face and each having an elongated cylindrical portion extending from the apex of the cone, said picture tubes being supported on said supporting means with the picture faces directed downwardly, securing means on opposite sides of said frame members, a preapertured corrugated paper spacer member passed over the neck portions of the tubes and resting part way down on the conical portions of the tubes, the apertures in the paper corresponding to the positions of the necks when the tubes are nested side by side longitudinally and crosswise of the structure, a second group of picture tubes having their neck portions directed downwardly and passing through other apertures in the spacer member, yielding supporting means surrounding the neck portions of said second group of tubes and of a length to engage the conical portions at their one ends and the supporting means at their other ends, the picture faces of said second group being substantially coplanar, a cloth cover over the coplanar picture faces, and means spaced along opposite edge of the cover securing the same to the securing means on said frame members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sucro June 7, 1892 Leonard Nov. 6, 1894 Buhrmaster Dec. 4, 1934 Davis Nov. 30, 1948 Wheeler Mar. 29, 1949 Gondar Feb. 21, 1950 Newman Oct. 16, 1951 Cushman May 19, 1953 Katzman Jan. 5, 1954 Paige Feb. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain 1898 Great Britain Nov. 7, 1918 

